Exclusive details: Bridge locations selected in Chimney Rock Village

Temporary, permanent bridge spots chosen following public comment after Hurricane Helene destroyed them in September

Apr 07, 2025

Situational awareness: An exclusive, or scoop is an important news story that is first reported by a journalist. This goes beyond breaking news when no other journalists are known to be reporting on an important issue.

No photo description available. — The remains of the bridge going to Chimney Rock State Park (photo: Annie Dance)

CHIMNEY ROCK, N.C. — State transportation officials have finalized plans for two new bridges in Chimney Rock—one temporary, one permanent—following an extensive public input process and coordination with local and state park officials.

The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) announced that more than 100 public comments helped shape the final decision, which aims to minimize disruptions for Southside Drive residents while maintaining access to Chimney Rock State Park.

The temporary bridge, scheduled to open by Memorial Day weekend, will extend from U.S. 64/74A to Chimney Rock Park Road, just west of the now-defunct truss bridge that once served Southside Drive. NCDOT has partnered with Wright Brothers Construction to expedite the installation, pending weather conditions.

The permanent solution—planned for 2026—will consolidate the Chimney Rock Park Road and Southside Drive crossings into a single, modern structure. That bridge will begin at a newly designed roundabout near the former Old Rock Café, cross the Rocky Broad River, and directly link to Chimney Rock Park Road and Southside Drive. “These two plans remove conflicts for Southside Drive residents from park and road construction traffic,” NCDOT said in a statement.

U.S. 74A will be reconstructed on much of its previous alignment. However, in some areas, there will be shifts in alignment due to damage from Hurricane Helene and the shifting Broad River. The permanent alignment is still conceptual and technical investigations are underway to determine the most appropriate location.

Transportation officials say construction of the permanent bridge will follow the scheduled reconstruction of U.S. 64/74A in the area, aiming to improve long-term traffic flow and safety for the region’s residents and visitors in the Hickory Nut Gorge.

A security checkpoint remains in effect for Chimney Rock Village at the Lake Lure town line. It was authorized and re-authorized with an extension by the CRV town council, with expected FEMA reimbursement. The road is still closed according to DriveNC.gov.

undefined — Temporary bridge in Chimney Rock Village (NCDOT)

Opinion & Analysis: Cops & Congress Commentary

Bridges, Backlash, and Broken Communication in Chimney Rock
Public safety demands more than construction plans—it demands public trust

Chimney Rock Village officials finally shared an update today that should have sparked meaningful discussion: the state has selected both temporary and permanent bridge locations, with a firm 2026 date for long-term construction. After more than six months of uncertainty following Hurricane Helene, this was the kind of announcement residents and business owners had been waiting for. But instead of opening the door to conversation, the town turned off Facebook comments. This signals a deeply troubling trend of governments shutting down public discussion. (Rutherford County does it too, after I asked why a salary that required a commercial driver’s license was low compared to the market last year.)

Let’s be honest: it’s no secret that things have been tense between town leadership and the community. But turning off comments when people are desperate for answers isn’t just poor communication—it’s damaging. To me it signals a government more interested in controlling the narrative than engaging with its citizens.

As someone who records meetings because the town refuses to, I can tell you firsthand how hard it’s been to get basic information out to the public. They changed their meeting schedule, making it nearly impossible to attend both town and county meetings—like tonight’s county commissioners’ session. When a volunteer videographer can’t make it, the public loses access altogether. That’s not transparency. That’s obstruction.

People aren’t just asking when the bridges will be built—they’re asking how they’ll be kept safe until then. They’re asking how traffic will be managed, what it means for emergency services, and whether tourism will survive another year of uncertainty. These are reasonable questions. The town needs to answer them publicly, in writing, not hide from them.

It’s commendable that the NCDOT, in contrast, opened the process to public comment and considered local voices before finalizing the plan. The state did its job. Now it’s the town’s turn. Turning off Facebook comments won’t stop the questions—it just proves that too many are still going unanswered.

Rebuilding a bridge is hard. Rebuilding public trust is harder. Chimney Rock Village leaders should start with something simple: turning the comments back on, instead of hiding.